Undefeated Clippers find a leader in Kinsella

Monday

Jan 8, 2018 at 11:30 AMJan 8, 2018 at 11:30 AM

By Matt Pulsifer

To the untrained eye, Nick Kinsella might not be the most obvious choice to represent the Falmouth Clippers hockey program as a member of its leadership team. You might not always see him on the ice in the final minute of a tie game or the power play or penalty kill starting units. He doesn’t have the most natural skill on the team.

But as far as his teammates are concerned, he doesn’t need it. Players made it known to Falmouth head coach Paul Moore that they wanted Kinsella as their assistant captain, telling their coach to appoint him to the role.

While teammates as a group often have a say in a team’s leadership, it is exceptionally rare for the players to outright choose a representative. But Kinsella won the complete support of his team through his work ethic.

“I’m very proud to have been picked by my teammates,” Kinsella said. “I’m glad to be a leader for those guys. I love this game, and this is the best team I have ever been a part of.”

Fellow senior and team captain Christopher Parkinson was one of the players, along with junior Mike Commesso and others, who brought to coach Moore’s attention the need to slap an A on Nick’s jersey.

“I think it is the way he goes about things,” Moore said. “He is a third line role player as a senior, but he is the hardest worker on the team. He sets the best example with his work ethic.”

Kinsella understands his role on the team, and is happy to do whatever is asked.

“I’m not necessarily the best on the ice, but I strive to be the hardest worker,” he said. “I do a lot of grinding work out there on the forecheck, and have been able to put a few pucks in the net. It’s hockey, so you are going to have some ups and downs, but overall, it’s been a great season.”

Kinsella is currently fourth on the team with four goals.

Falmouth (5-0-3) has played a brutal non-conference schedule to start the season, but has somehow managed to come away undefeated. Moore points out that other than the conference opener against Dennis-Yarmouth, where Falmouth dominated in a 5-1 victory, every game could have gone either way.

“We are off to a great start,” Moore said. “We have great team leadership and a great captain. The kids are doing a great job behind him, and we are getting some great goaltending when we needed it.”

That captain is senior Parkinson, who is tied for third on the team with eight total points. Nick Champani is second on the team in points with nine, and freshman J.P. Turner has surprised many to lead the team in overall points thus far with 15.

“J.P. is a special player and balances our attack on the second line,” Moore said. “He and Nick do play together on the power play unit.”

Tied with Parkinson at eight points is senior Tyler Mackenzie.

“He is a real consistent winger,” Moore said of Mackenzie. “He is a real tough player to play against.

Leadership is always critical, but having graduated 15 players from last year and introduced 11 new players to this season’s varsity squad, it is that much more important. Several players have had to switch their roles due to the turnover, but perhaps none have done better than junior Robbie Curtis (four points), who has switched to defense.

“He has been key to our success,” Moore said. “He has been a nice surprise.”

Coming off a huge 3-3 tie against archrival Barnstable on January 6, Falmouth has to navigate some tough league games as well as non-conference tilts against perennial powers Waltham, Barnstable, Catholic Memorial, and Bridgewater-Raynham before the season-ending Buddy Ferriera Classic, which will also feature top level powerhouse programs.

The season is a brutal grind, but if Kinsella is right and this is the best team he has ever played on, there is no telling how far Falmouth might be able to go.

“The atmosphere and how this team is put together is special,” Kinsella said. “We are motivated every game to play our best. I love this team, and I am proud to keep pushing with them.”